


Every process of learning requires evaluation

by dancey94



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Explicit Language, First Kiss, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 22:50:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9570236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancey94/pseuds/dancey94
Summary: Hannibal discovers Will is investigating a very particular matter. The confrontation is inevitable.





	

“I’m going for a walk.” Will announced as he was putting on a jacket. Hannibal appeared from the kitchen and watched Graham lace his shoes.

“Do you want me to join you or do you prefer to be alone?”

“I need to clear my head. And I would appreciate a moment just for myself.”

Hannibal understood. It had been quite a while since they became the only company for each other and it was only natural that Will needed some space. Although, truly, they always enjoyed each other’s company.

“Of course. I’ll be busy preparing dinner, then.”

Will nodded. He opened the door and vanished behind them. Hannibal remained all alone in the house.

The truth was, he was in the middle of preparing dinner and had some time before the meat would be ready. But if Will needed peace, he would not deny it to him.

The silence was slightly depressing so Hannibal turned on the radio. He found the station which broadcast classical music and smiled. Perhaps he needed something fresh. Perhaps his mind required a change.

Lecter changed the station and cringed at the cheesy and loud song that was playing. Then, weird, annoying sounds joined the melody and the harmony was broken. Hannibal decided to stay calm and determined to listen to the very end of the “song”.

In the meantime, he walked around the house. The first stop was in the study, where he found some books on the desk and a tablet. Will had left the items in quite a mess so Hannibal decided to use bookmarks and put everything away.

He took the first book and, without looking at the content, put a bookmark inside. Then, the book was placed on the shelf. Hannibal smiled at his behaviour and habits. He could not fight his desire for things to be organised neatly and in some sort of order.

He took the next book in his hands and glanced briefly at the page Will left it open at. Words such as _penetration_ , _orifice_ and _pleasure_ caught Hannibal’s attention and he looked at the cover of the book. It made him check all the works Will had been examining and that awoke a revelation. It was clear that Will became interested in homosexual love and looked for very particular answers.

Hannibal finished putting away the books and sat by the desk. He remained calm while he began wondering what Will was up to. Obviously, he was not investigating anal penetration for purely scientific reasons.

That discovery made Hannibal think hard about his recent behaviour. He hadn’t pushed Will, neither had he implied anything. He was a perfect gentleman the whole time. And Will never complained.

They would eat dinners in a safe distance at the table, have conversations in the evenings – still, sitting quite comfortably, a meter or so away from each other. They kept their privacy in all possible way. Hannibal had never appeared in less than full clothing. And he never-

 _Beep_.

The tablet made an annoying sound, which, in fact, matched the sounds made by the radio.

Hannibal unlocked the screen and declined an update of some app. Then, the notification disappeared and the screen returned to the content looked at before it popped up.

It was a porn site. The video was of a man who was explaining the process of prostate massage. Hannibal blinked.

The three open tabs were all concerned with anal penetration and the procedures of the sexual act. Hannibal stared.

He continued sitting motionlessly and gaping at the screen for a moment, before he locked the screen and put the tablet on the desk.

That was improper. It was a violation of Will’s privacy. Of course, the tablet belonged to both of them, and Hannibal had the right to use it while Will was gone. Hannibal blinked.

Had Will left the tablet out there on purpose? So that Lecter would find it and find out about Will’s secret search for knowledge?

Hannibal’s eyes wandered around the room until they fell upon the clock on the wall.

“The meat!”

Only his luck allowed him to get the meat out of the oven in time and rescue dinner. However, he lost his appetite.

He finished preparing the meal, decorated the plates, and sat down to stare at them. He was not hungry and Will was not there to accompany him.

Hannibal was wondering how he should act when Will would return. There were two options he considered: pretending he didn’t find out or take actions. Both scenarios could go wrong and both could end badly. Hannibal didn’t want to risk, not this time. Perhaps doing nothing for once might save him the trouble.

The door opened and Will appeared in the small hall. He took off his boots and jacket and peeked into the kitchen. Hannibal smiled at him as he poured them some wine.

“The dinner is ready.”

Will nodded and joined the other man by the table.

Hannibal decided to enjoy the evening and not confront Will about his findings. He navigated the conversation between the lack of harmony in contemporary music and lack of taste of those in charge of the radio broadcast. Will responded with amused expression and a few comments he used to hear from his students back when he had worked as a teacher.

The wine was good and made them relax. Out of character, Hannibal felt bolder thanks to the alcohol’s influence.

“Close your eyes.”

“What? Why?”

“Close your eyes. I want you to imagine something.”

Will sighed but complied. He felt like indulging in Hannibal’s game.

“So? What do you want me to imagine?”

“Yourself.”

“Hmm?”

“Imagine you survived our fall.”

“I don’t have to-”

“And I didn’t.” Hannibal specified. “Where are you?”

Will was tempted to open his eyes and stop that thought experiment. Yet, the curiosity took over him as he took a deep breath and imagined the situation described by Lecter.

“On the shore, kneeling before your body.”

“What do you do?”

“Nothing. I can’t do anything. I tried to save you but you’re already gone. I do nothing.”

The natural response was to ask what happened next, how Will saw himself a few years later, where he saw himself at the point where they were now. Hannibal refrained from asking those questions. He remained silent and watched Will, who still had his eyes closed.

“We never talked about it. What would you do?” Will turned the tables and started questioning Hannibal.

“Can’t you imagine?”

“I think I just did.”

Lecter reached out, tempted to brush his fingers against Will’s arm, shoulder or cheek. He felt the urge to check if what he was experiencing was the reality. So many times had the fantasy mixed with the real world and so many times had the men been deceived by it.

“We’re both questioning what is real and what is not. I’m glad I’m not alone in that.” Hannibal stated and reached for the glass of wine.

Will’s eyes opened and focused on Lecter’s face. The man was trying to find any signs that they were on the same page. Perhaps Hannibal was referring to his walking alone earlier or the discovery he’d made in the study. Nothing. Lecter remained unreadable and strangely innocent in his behaviour.

Will’d had enough of that. He cleared his throat and stood up from the dining table.

That made Hannibal withdraw. He put down the glass of wine and looked at Will, who had his arms crossed against his chest and was facing the wall with his back turned to Hannibal.

“Will.”

Graham did not move. The silence lasted a moment, before Hannibal pushed back his chair as he was standing up.

“Will.”

The name was uttered so softly, so gently, as if with the last breath.

Hannibal took a careful step towards the other man, then another and another, until he was standing mere inches away from Will. He lifted his arm so that his hand was almost touching Graham’s hair. That was their destiny – almost, barely but not really. Their love was true and living, and they did touch occasionally, even affectionately. It must have occurred to them that there was something more, another step. It was probably the last step they had yet to take.

Hannibal didn’t want to push it but at that moment he was breaking.

“Will, do you want me to kiss you?”

Lecter did not see when Will closed his eyes, but he did hear when the man huffed.

“I did.” He allowed for a pause. “So many times. Often when it was inappropriate or plainly mad. Actually, I don’t think I can point any instance when kissing you would not sound mad.”

“How about right now? You’ve fallen deep enough into the rabbit hole and you don’t want nor need a rescue. So how about right now?”

With the new perspective, Hannibal lost all sense of boundaries. Will had thought about kissing him, probably imagined it and given the empath’s vivid imagination…

“Yes! Hannibal, I want you to kiss me.”

The words forced a smile on Lecter’s face as he moved a bit closer to Will, practically closing the distance between them. Then, he placed his left hand on Will’s neck and moved it slowly higher, on the man’s cheek, in order to turn Will’s head slightly. There was no resistance.

Will tilted his head to the right side and hoped to meet Hannibal there. He was not wrong.

Hannibal changed the position of his head as well, to match Will’s angle, and continued getting close and closer, bringing their faces together.

The position was not the most common or comfortable but satisfying. Will licked his lips as he was looking at Hannibal and then finally made contact. It was him who pressed his lips to Hannibal’s. There was no mad anticipation or hesitation. They were above that now and frankly, Will was sick of waiting another second. If they were going to do it, they were going to do it his way and fast.

It didn’t take long before Will opened his mouth wider and added tongue to the equation. Hannibal didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was awfully happy about the situation they found themselves in. So much, in fact, that he smiled into the kiss.

Will changed the pace, slowing down a bit, and enjoyed the lazy yet passionate make-out session.

The words that had formed in his mind disappeared, leaving room for pure emotions and exciting images. What started with a kiss could have gone in many different directions.

Hannibal seemed to realise that multiplicity of options as well but remembered what he had found out in the study.

One kiss turned into another. The next one was not enough and the one following was not the last. Will felt as if he had created a loop and that they would continue kissing to no end. However, he managed to open his eyes and noticed Hannibal’s lost expression. The feeling was mutual.

Will wondered whether he should turn and stand face to face with Hannibal, but he refrained. The way they were standing and melting into each other was much more fascinating. Frankly, he was elated to feel the other man’s chest pressing against his back, a sense of warmth and support.

Finally, Will pulled back. He caressed Hannibal’s hand under his chin and then took hold of it before he turned. When they faced each other, Hannibal smiled and blinked curiously.

“In other circumstances, that would be the finale of this date.” Will said while looking into Hannibal’s eyes.

“Would you see me home, kiss goodbye and leave?” Hannibal fluttered his eyelids.

“Till another date, of course.”

“Of course.”

Lecter lifted Will’s hand and kissed the knuckles.

“How much time do you think your investigation will take?”

One corner of Will’s mouth rose. The confrontation was about to take place.

“So you’ve seen it.”

“I have.”

“And decided not to speak about it.”

“Not until you wanted to.”

“Somehow, I don’t believe you.”

Hannibal’s smug was unforgivable and Will was seconds away from punching the man if only to get rid of it.

“I felt the research was necessary.”

“Or you could have just come to me.”

Hannibal bent slightly and placed a feather-like kiss on Will’s neck.

“Do you consider yourself an expert on anal penetration?” The straightforwardness was impeccable, as always, and made Hannibal press his lips harder to Will’s skin.

“Porn stars are hardly experts.”

“But I did learn what seems to be important.”

“Every process of learning requires evaluation.”

“Do you feel qualified to make the assessment?”

The response was non-verbal, a pleased sound. Hannibal continued kissing Will’s neck and the anticipation was heavy in the air. After the many years of case-solving, playing games, calling each other’s bluffs and building up the tension, they would finally consummate their relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the EXTREMELY cheesy and awkward ending x___x


End file.
